The Portland Trail Blazers have not had a strong season so far, sitting 13th in the Western Conference standings. They are 4.5 games behind the 10th spot, which is the final play-in position.
It looks like the Blazers are likely to be sellers at the trade deadline next month. Teams are already interested in trading for Jerami Grant to see what the cost would be. Anfernee Simons could also be traded if the price is right. Honestly, not many players are considered untouchable on the team.
Still, players and coaches are holding on to hope that they can make a playoff run. However, this goal seems quite ambitious since they have just started a five-game road trip and lost the first game to the Lakers. The remaining games are against the Bucks, Pistons, Pelicans, and Mavs.
Despite the tough situation, players are staying positive. Toumani Camara still believes they can make a playoff push.
“I can see after this practice that everybody still has a good head on their shoulders,” Camara said. “I mean, we still have a lot of basketball to play. So, we’re trying to stay motivated. Stay positive. I think everybody’s in a good place right now.”
These players are professionals, so it makes sense they are still focused on winning games. However, it’s not realistic to expect them to perform well enough in the next few months to truly contend for a playoff spot.
It would not only be unrealistic to expect this, but it would also be unwise for the franchise to want that. It would be better for them to continue losing games to improve their lottery chances. Landing a player like Cooper Flagg would be the best way to turn the team’s future around.
If the road trip continues to go badly, Portland could decide to make major moves, which could lead to a trade of valuable players like Jerami Grant. This would mark the end of their season and signal a shift toward rebuilding.
